Page 47 of Silver & Gold

“Is it? Fuck, I lose track of time with you.”

Seth had seen hundreds of beautiful things in his life. Ancient tombs and pristine temples. Magnificent animals and exquisite artwork. He might have used the phrase breathtaking for any of them. But it wasn’t until Raider smiled at Seth’s words that Seth really understood that phrase. Because that gorgeous smile quite literally took the breath from his lungs.

***

“What are you looking at?” Seth asked.

After a meal of pita bread stuffed with lamb and cucumber sauce, Seth had suggested they walk through one of the finer bazaars. He knew he’d promised to return to the library sometime today, but that promise felt distant and unimportant. He didn’t want to leave Raider. Partly because he wanted to keep an eye on him. Mostly because … well, he just didn’t want to leave him.

They were standing at a silk merchant’s stall, and Raider was looking through the offerings on a crowded rack. He pulled out a short green sarong with a subtle gold pattern from amid the colorful assortment and showed it to Seth.

“Put it on,” Seth said.

“I was mostly teasing.”

“Well, I wasn’t. Fucking put it on.”

“You’ll have to imagine it without my pants.”

“Oh, I will.”

Raider’s eyes sparkled as he tied the sarong at his waist. Seth’s body heated instantly as he imagined what it would show of Raider’s toned legs. How it would part at the side when he walked. How easy it would be for Seth to lift it. His mouth watered as he stepped close to Raider and played with the knot at his hip.

He knew his nostrils were flaring. He knew his voice was gravelly when he spoke. “That’s going to show a lot of thigh.”

“It would, yes.”

“It will.”

“I don’t have money, remember?”

“I owe you money, remember?”

“Oh, yeah. The Kesh.”

Seth shook his head. “You know, when I first met you, I thought all you cared about was money. But you don’t pay the least bit of attention to it.”

“I do, though. Because I like beautiful things.”

“So do I,” Seth said and started untying the sarong.

Raider’s hands came up to Seth’s chest, and his eyes, at least his right eye, darkened at the tease of Seth undressing him, even though he was fully clothed underneath.

“After we buy this,” Seth said roughly, “we should go back to the inn. I want to see it on you properly.”

But Raider’s eyes had lifted over Seth’s shoulder. “You might have to hold that thought.”

Seth turned to see Nasrin on the other side of the street. She was wearing the same sleeveless blue gown that she’d worn that day at Atri’s temple. It covered her leather skirt and breastplate, leaving bare only her muscled arms, banded with gold rings.

That muscle should have given her away that day, not to mention the tight, intricate braiding of her hair. Had she been wearing those boots as she climbed the temple steps? Could he possibly have missed that? Maybe. He’d been focused on Raider. Still, Seth couldn’t get over his annoyance at how she had fooled him. Knowing her now for what she was, it was so painfully obvious.

She dipped her chin in acknowledgement of having been seen and crossed the street, pausing for a wealthy woman’s palanquin, a small covered litter carried on poles by two large men. By the time Nasrin reached Seth, Raider had slipped away to talk to the silk merchant.

“Enjoying your day?” she inquired.

“I was.”

Her lips quirked. “And you think I’m here to spoil it?”